Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT, or any related characters (much to their relief, I'm sure!) If there is anything else in this story you recognise from somewhere else, then I don't own that either.

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One side of the Battle-shell interior was dominated by various screens and consoles, with two swivel chairs set in front of them. The other side boasted a third swivel chair behind the drivers' seat, and a bench seat set in an alcove in the wall; though this was usually blocked by the Shell-cycle. For once Raph was glad he'd left his bike at home, settling Tausha next to him on the bench. The poor girl seemed exhausted as Don finished tying off a sling to support her swollen arm, Raph happy to act as a pillow as she snuggled against his neck.

Jumping in the back after making sure Mike and Casey got off safely, Leo frowned at the sight of his brother lounging back against the alcove corner, arms wrapped about the girl who was plastered up his side. But given the evil look he got in return he decided time was too short to start an argument just now. They had to get moving before either Hun, or his cronies recovered, or someone else spotted them. Noticing Don had used the large bandage for the sling Leo gave a frustrated sigh.
"Great! What are we gonna use for a blindfold now?" Before Raph could put his grimace into undoubtedly foul words Don interceded.
"I don't think it's an issue, Leo. I doubt information gathering is a high priority for her at the moment." Since Tausha already seemed to be dozing Leo stalked to the front, taking the drivers' seat with a light scowl for Don already sat on the passenger side.
"Fine." he grumped, pulling on his belt with more force than necessary.

Raph was grateful to Don for taking the passenger seat, and for him staring fixedly out the window as he reported to Splinter on his Shell-cell. He was sure Leos' view would be blocked by the alcove wall, not that he cared too much. But it did give some semblance of privacy and that helped quell a small portion of the nervousness he was starting to feel. He was sure a lot of it was just reaction to the evenings' events. The thought of how close he'd come to losing Tau making him grip her even tighter. In response she nuzzled against him, and that sent more butterflies careening around his stomach.

Burying his nose in her hair he closed his eyes as he relished her scent, still recognisable despite the dust. He opened them, almost in surprise, as he realised he was pressing a light kiss to her temple. Feeling her tense slightly he broke the contact. When she didn't move or say a word he managed to gather the courage to press a tentative kiss to the top of her cheek. She sighed slightly as he pulled away again. Bolder, he moved down the line of her jaw for his next touch, his chest tightening as he felt her lips against his cheek in a timid peck of her own.

Gently he pushed her head back on his shoulder using a light nudge with his beak, gaining the chance to press his lips to the corner of her mouth; Tausha sighing once more at the contact. Their breath mingled for a moment as she tilted her head. Raph swallowed thickly before closing in, only to have her turn away with a perturbed groan.
"I'm sorry. I'm just not sure this is a good idea…" Concerned Raph cupped her face with his hand, making her face him again. A painful clamp set on his chest as he saw that weird emotion in her eyes again. It was almost like… fear? Of him?
"I'd never hurt you." he murmured earnestly. Reluctantly she turned to bury her face against his shoulder.
"You already have." she whispered. The constriction spread to Raphs' throat as a range of thoughts charged through his brain.
'Huh? What? How? When? Who? If? …Shit.'

They sat in a tense, awkward silence as long minutes dragged by; Raph occasionally working his jaw in a vain attempt to say something. But his brain and throat conspired against him in his struggle to articulate a constructive sentence. To his surprise Tausha broke the impasse, tightening the hug she was giving him with her good arm.
"You're my best friend, Raph. I don't want to lose that." she said quietly. Raph rested his head back against the cool of the metal wall, hoping it would help to ease his confusion. Having her snug against him certainly didn't see to be, until an unexpectedly coherent thought coalesced from the white noise in his mind.
'You're a five foot mutant freak. You gonna ruin what ya got, 'cos ya can't get what ya want?' With a sigh he squeezed her close, managing to force a croak past the knot in his throat.
"You won't."

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"Oh my, you guys look a mess! Tau! What happened to you?" April didn't waste any time with pleasantries as she swept into the lair. Her first point of call was the couch, 'tching' and apologising over Taushas' arm and face, a black eye Don had coming on and a nasty scrape down Raphs' calf. Despite their assurances that they were fine and none of their injuries were her fault, it took Splinter to shoo April away claiming he needed a little space to apply his salves and medications.

Making her way over to the others sat about the table she pointedly ignored Casey as she fussed over Mike and Leos' injuries. After a few minutes she peeled Mike off to finally confront her very nervous looking boyfriend.
"And you!" she sighed heavily before smacking him sharply over the head, though she tried to hit a spot that wasn't too bruised already.
"What the heck were you thinking?" Casey tried a placating smile from under the hand he'd raised too late to defend himself.
"Hey babe…"
"Don't you 'hey babe' me, mister!" April admonished, hands on hips "What's worth doing this to one of my friends, huh?"
"Uh, this." Casey opened one of the briefcases sat on the table next to him. April did a quick double-take then scowled again, forcing Casey to cower in his seat.

"You can be an insensitive idiot, Casey Jones. But I never thought you'd be so stupid and callous as to sell out a friend! I know that's a lot of money. But we're happy and we have our health, good friends and family. What do we really need it for?"
"Well, you've only met her a coupla times. I didn't think she was that good a friend…" from Aprils' glare Casey realized that wasn't a good tack "and, uh, I didn't know that Hun was gonna hurt her."
"We told you he beat her, dude." Mike interjected.
"Yeah, but I thought she was cryin' foul about a few smacks on the bum or somethin'… not that he'd string her up and use her as a punch bag!"
"You still haven't answered my question." April reminded in a menacing tone, crossing her arms.

"Oh…, ah…" Casey stalled, desperately racking his brain for an answer that wouldn't see him banned to the couch for eternity.
"It's gonna make all our lives heaps easier…" Aprils' frown deepened.
"And, ah, I did it for you. I wanted to get ya the place, car, clothes, jewels and stuff ya deserve." April started tapping her foot. Casey tried his best lost puppy look.
"You're a top class babe. I'm just a working class boob who's never gonna earn the kinda money we'd need to get all that kinda stuff anytime soon."
"And why do we need 'that kinda stuff' soon? I'd rather work for it and appreciate it for being earned. There's nothing we absolutely need in the near future."
"Yeah, there is!" Casey blurted before shuffling nervously.
"Like what?" April asked.
"Ah…, it's kinda secret…"
"Like what?" demanded April.

Casey squirmed as April glowered over the top of him.
"I wanted to surprise ya…, and I didn't wanna lose out for waiting too long. But this was the only way I could get the money, or get enough to do a really good shin-dig. Something fancy that's worthy of ya…" he trailed off as April crouched to his eye-level, her face pale instead of angry.
"Are you saying you were going to…?" she faltered as he gave a small nod "Oh. Why did you think you were waiting too long?" she asked quietly. The remainder of Caseys' face turned a hue to match the bruises covering most of it.
"There was this mag on you're bed-side table a couple a months ago. You'd left it open on this page 'bout losers who string chicks along. They said that if ya live with a guy for a year and he doesn't ask ya, then ya should start lookin' elsewhere. I know you c'n do heaps better'n me, so if ya do go lookin'… I haven't got a chance."
"Oh Casey! You are an idiot!" April admonished before grabbing him in a suffocating hug.

Casey quickly turned an odd shade of purple before April released his neck.
"I think we need to talk. Um…, in private." she murmured.
"Uh-huh." was all Casey was able to find the breath to respond with as she dragged him into the kitchen.
"What was that all about?" Mike queried, with a cheeky gleam in his eye. Though he had a pretty good idea Leo just shrugged. Not to be deterred Mike continued a little more seriously.
"Do you think they're gonna be alright?"
"What will be, will be." assured Splinter "However, April was right. Some things should remain private. I do not wish to hear any fuss about this, until 'if and when' they are ready to share it."
"I've got no friggin' idea what 'it' is! One minute she's pissed, the next she's all over 'im. What's the deal with that? Chicks are just weird." grumped Raph from the couch. Three sets of curious eyes turned to check the response of the girl sat next to him. Don seemed oblivious, busily hunched over something Leo guessed was a remote.

Taushas' cheeks coloured slightly, and to Mikes' surprise she didn't bap his brother. She never hit hard, but he'd found out the hard way she could flick her hand pretty darn fast if he took a comment too far.
"I suppose it's kinda sweet, in a way." she started quietly "He just wanted to prove his love for her."
"What's there to prove? Everyone knows he loves her, for cruds' sake!"
"Damn it!" Don cursed quietly as half of whatever he was working on fell and scattered across the floor. Quickly he gathered up the bits, moving over to dump the handful on the table before setting back to work. Leo decided a change of topic was in order.
"Do you think Casey would let us buy Tau a ticket home?"

Mike looked aghast. Don slowly stopped his tinkering, but didn't look up from the table-top. Raph was staring fixedly at the dark screens in front of him. Tausha seemed to gaze at nothing for a moment too, before giving Leo a small smile.
"I don't see why that would present a problem." Splinter broke the odd quiet.
"But she can stay, till she's better, right?" petitioned Mike.
"The money belongs to Casey. It will be his decision when and what to spend it on." Splinter stated.
"But…, he said it was gonna help all of us. Doesn't that mean we get a say?" Mike eyes suddenly widened "Man, with this kinda moolah we can really have some fun! If Tau stays a while it could be like a holiday or something, before she has to head home. You know, we could all take a break for a few weeks. We could get take-out every night, rent every movie we ever wanted to watch, get an X-box 360, all the Spiderman back issues…"

Don could feel Leo rolling his eyes as he moved to stand next to where Don was leaning on the table. He was grateful for his brothers' solidarity, and silence. The jumbled ex-remote was forgotten. Don couldn't help gawking at the pool of green next to him. The clear plastic banding on the stacks made each note plain to see. It felt like every Ben Franklin was laughing at his stupidity. Why hadn't he said anything before it was too late? Would it have mattered, or made things worse? Probably. And why get upset now? He'd known he'd missed any miniscule chance he may have had months ago. It was just a stupid crush, he should have put it behind him by now…

Suddenly inexplicably annoyed with his fellow inventor, Don pulled out one of the bundles to turn it over; wanting to stop at least one mocking face. It was no use, another turned up on the underside. Trying a second time he got the same result.
"What is it Don?" Leo queried softly. Don didn't answer, pulling over the second case to open it. Again, no images of the Independence Hall, only faces atop each bundle. Again two stacks revealed the same picture on the underside of the bottom note.

"…Harley each, our own yacht. Heh! Bet, no-one would think of looking for us at sea! Hey! What about our own island?"
"Michelangelo. Quiet." Splinter instructed levelly as he approached. Don broke the band holding the last bundle he'd removed. Taking the top dozen notes he splayed them out like a fan. All displayed the same picture, even when he flipped them.
"Hah!" Mike laughed "That was a neat trick Don! How'd ya do that?" Sharing a knowing look with Don, Leo took the end note from the fan and handed it to Mike who grabbed it enthusiastically, quickly flipping it over for himself to figure out the knack.
"Hey! I can do it too! Uh…, hang on… it's got the same guy on both sides. Shouldn't it have something different?"

"What's up?" asked Raph as he joined them, leaving Tau on the couch. Leo handed him another note.
"Shiiiit. It's fake?"
"Raphael. Language."
"Sorry Sensei. But, Casey is gonna be pis…, uh, annoyed."
"All of it?" Mike lamented.
"Why would Hun mix real money in with counterfeit, Mike?" Leo asked with light sarcasm. Mike shrugged.
"I dunno. To mess with our heads?" his eyes widened in horror as another thought occurred.
"Who's gonna tell Case?" he whispered, hoping it wouldn't be him for asking! Raph couldn't stop the evil grin invading his face.
"Me."

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"WAAAHH!" Casey was through punching, ripping and tossing the paper about and settled down to bawling on his crossed arms amid the remnants on the table; April lightly patting his shoulder. Mike was failing at being discrete as he picked the still intact notes off the floor; checking each one carefully, just in case.

Leo didn't bother telling Mike to stop, at least it meant a little less tidying to be done later. That certainly wasn't a high priority just yet; for now he was perched on the coffee table in front of Splinter in his armchair, the rest of the group filling the couch. They all seemed to be in various states of shock, only Splinter had had anything to say.
"It is true. What goes around; comes around." Though Raph still had a wry uptilt to one corner of his mouth, and Tau was covering her face with her hand.

"You OK?" Raph enquired as he heard her sniff. She didn't move her hand as she nodded.
"Yeah." she sighed "I'm… sorry. I'm so sorry…"
"For what?" asked Raph, a little shortly.
"For this… what my Dad's done. You must all be so disappointed…"
"Tausha…" Splinter started kindly.
"You're bein' stupid." Raph finished bluntly, pulling her hand away from her face.
"Hey." he leaned forward to get her attention as she quickly dropped her gaze to the floor "It's not your fault."

Despite her little nod Raph didn't buy that she believed him. With an irate sigh he gently but firmly tugged her upright, tucking her good arm behind his back before capturing her head and pulling it onto his shoulder.
"It's not. OK?" he accentuated each word with a squeeze of his arm clamped round her cranium.
"uh, uh, UH! OK! Ok." Tausha relented with a light frown; though it lifted quickly as Raph felt her finger tips brush his opposite hip where she gripped the edge of his shell.

Though he eased off the pressure on her head, he left his arm in place; careful not to put any pressure on her wounded shoulder. They may not be snuggled as closely as they had been in the van, but it was still nice without the heavy material of the coats in the way. Ignoring the little voice in the back of his mind that was muttering it could be a lot nicer still; he figured that if this was as good as he was gonna get, he was gonna take full advantage of it while he could get it! After all, it wasn't like there was a line of girls beating down his door to give him a hug.

Leo scowled lightly, mentally kicking himself for not saying anything when he'd seen them locked together in the truck. He was sure Raph wasn't holding her as close to annoy him. But if he stepped in now Raph would just throw his previous 'acceptance' of their closer embrace in his face.
"So I suppose we have to change our plans slightly. Tau, do you think you'll be ready to go by next Sunday? If we drive up to Northampton that evening we'll miss the worst of the traffic. So it should make for a smoother journey."

To his surprise Tausha went pale, her eyes going wide. She seemed to fight an internal battle before finally succumbing to a weak nod.
"Good. Oh, that reminds me…, Casey?" Leo wandered over to his distraught friend who was slowly pulling himself back together.
"Do you mind if we stay at your farm for a few days, just while Tau gets settled?"
"Huh?" Casey looked up after roughly wiping his face on his sleeve "Why ya movin' her to the farm?"
"We're not…" Leo outlined what they planned to do. He was taken aback as Casey mirrored Taushas' earlier wide eyed expression.

"You can't be serious!" Casey exclaimed "Hun'll find her for sure!"
"We don't really have any other options, Casey." reasoned Leo.
"No. You guys don't understand! Hun's got people lookin' for her everywhere. And I mean 'everywhere'; right across the States. He said so himself. Even somewhere like Northampton, you send her out there to work; you may as well just send her back ta him on a silver platter!"
"You've changed your tune!" Raph derided.
"Yeah? Well, she did kinda save my bacon back there… guess I'm just returnin' the favour." mumbled Casey defensively.

"She could stay with us…" Mike quietly proposed.
"Yeah! This'd be the last place Hun'd find her!" agreed Casey, missing Leos' frown completely. Tausha saved him the argument.
"No. I need to go home. I can't explain it. I know my family aren't really there anymore. But, it's where I belong… I know it's gonna take some time; and I'm willing to take a few risks, whatever it takes actually. It's just something I need to do."

Splinter broke the ensuing quiet.
"Casey, why would Hun tell you he had people searching for Tausha?"
"He didn't tell me. He told her when she said she was leavin'. He started carryin' on 'bout how he had guys in every town and transport company keepin' an eye out for her. And with his clout I don't doubt it!" Leo was surprised to see Don break out of his reverie to join the conversation.
"You know there is a common conjecture, called domestic blindness. It basically theorises that people often overlook things that are in plain sight, just because they don't expect to see them there."
"Dude, she's not a set of car keys." put in Mike.
"No. But if Hun has got people on the look out everywhere else, he obviously doesn't expect to find Tau here; in New York. And that may be more the case now that she's told him she was going to leave. It may well be that this is the safest place for her to stay, Leo."

"I don't know." Tausha sat up, pulling her arm from behind Raph to rub her forehead "I was recognised pretty quickly here…" she went on to describe her venture around the block before her return to the construction site.
"So?" Casey stated bluntly "You're just gonna have to find a job where people don't see ya face. Reckon you'd have to do that pretty much anywhere ya went anyway!" He shrugged at the incredulous looks he got from all.
"Well, it's true!" he defended.
"I kinda suppose it… is." murmured April; her brow furrowed in concentration over how to solve the dilemma.
"So, we can't shove her out till she's found something like that. Guess she's just gonna have to stay here!" Mike proclaimed with a grin.

"I believe you may be correct, Michelangelo." Splinter softly agreed, to the amazement of everyone.
"But Sensei…" Leo started; to be silenced by Splinters' raised finger.
"It is clear that the risk of Tausha being recognised above ground is too great for her to attempt to live there; for now, at least. I propose that she remain with us until circumstances change, or we save enough to buy her fare to Melbourne. To this end I suggest we bolster our income by increasing our appliance recycling efforts. This will be a tedious way of gathering the funds, but I am sure that if an opportunity for Tausha to find suitable employment arises, she will accept it."

With a grateful look for Splinter, Tausha nodded.
"Of course, and I'll help out with fixing things as much as I can." she gave Don an apologetic smile "I don't know anything about electronics and stuff, but I'll be happy to learn."
"Don't worry about that." assured Don "You've already been a big help on some of the gear we've worked on so far."
"My sons." Splinter regained their attention "I do not wish to arbitrate on this resolution. It will have a great affect on all of us, so I will leave the decision up to each of you. If any of you do not agree with this solution, please speak now."

In the silence that followed Leo walked back to the lounge area, to pace briefly in front of the coffee table. He came to a halt, crouching in front of Tausha with a level stare.
"Promise me you will do everything within reason to earn that money, and that you will get on that plane."
"Leo. I promise. It's what I want too."